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Auto alternatives for the 21st centuryFri, 31 Jul 2015 13:14:21 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.2Renault-Nissan And Daimler Inching Closer Togetherhttp://www.hybridcars.com/renault-nissan-and-daimler-inching-closer-together/
http://www.hybridcars.com/renault-nissan-and-daimler-inching-closer-together/#commentsMon, 06 Oct 2014 04:00:05 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=201570Executives look pleased with the result of the collaboration between Renault-Nissan and Daimler. Or at least they say they are. Both automotive powerhouses have been working in partnership since 2010. The scope of the original collaboration in 2010 was limited to three projects primarily in Europe. The combined portfolio shared between Renault-Nissan and Daimler has […]

]]>Executives look pleased with the result of the collaboration between Renault-Nissan and Daimler. Or at least they say they are.

Both automotive powerhouses have been working in partnership since 2010. The scope of the original collaboration in 2010 was limited to three projects primarily in Europe.

The combined portfolio shared between Renault-Nissan and Daimler has since quadrupled to 12 projects in Europe, Asia and North America.

“The global scale of our projects ensures that this collaboration will continue to grow, and we expect to remain partners for the long run,” said Renault-Nissan CEO and Chairman Carlos Ghosn. “This partnership has accelerated the time-to-market for significant vehicle launches and has been an obvious strategic advantage for Renault and Nissan. We remain confident about our relationship for the foreseeable future.”

The CEOs’ comments come as the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Daimler get ready to launch their first vehicles co-developed from scratch this autumn: the new Renault Twingo and the new smart fortwo and smart forfour.

“Since its start in 2010, this cooperation has delivered what it has promised, and even more. And that’s how we will continue to work together in the future – with joint projects that establish a win-win situation for all partners involved and create value for our customers worldwide. This is definitely a track record to be continued,” said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

The Renault Twingo went on sale in Europe in September while the smart fortwo and smart forfour will go on sale in November. These city cars are built on a jointly developed rear-wheel-drive architecture; Daimler said this project involved teams from both sides working closely together these last four years.

The three cars, which are all on display at the Paris Motor Show, are independent products with an unmistakable unique brand identity, added Renault.

The smart fortwo is being built at smart’s Hambach plant in France, while the Twingo and the smart forfour are being produced at Renault’s plant in Novo Mesto, Slovenia.

Update on other joint projects

In June 2014, Nissan and Daimler announced plans to jointly develop premium compact vehicles and to jointly manufacture them in Mexico.

Construction of a jointly owned facility in Aguascalientes, in the immediate vicinity of an already existing Nissan plant, will begin in early 2015. Nissan stated production will begin in 2017 with Infiniti models. Daimler added the production of Mercedes-Benz vehicles will follow in 2018. When fully ramped up, the Mexico facility will have production capacity of 300,000 units per year.

The premium compact vehicles are expected to also be produced at other Daimler and Nissan plants around the world, including Europe and China.

Meanwhile, the two companies continue to supply each other with powertrains.

In September, Renault began supplying 1.6 liter diesel engines for both the new Mercedes C-Class and the Mercedes Vito van. Renault is also supplying a 1 liter, 3-cylinder naturally aspirated gasoline engine and a 900cc turbocharged, 3-cylinder gasoline unit for the smart forfour and smart fortwo.

In June, joint production of a 2 liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder gasoline engine began at a newly established Nissan and Daimler powertrain facility in Decherd, Tennessee, USA. The engines produced by the Infiniti Decherd Powertrain Plant will initially be used in European versions of the Infiniti Q50 sports sedan and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The new facility will have installed capacity of 250,000 units per year, once fully ramped-up.

These companies are also collaborating in the van segment. Daimler’s Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., have just signed a contract for the supply of finished commercial vans for export. Under the contract, Nissan will supply its “NV350 Urvan” (GVW: 3.5 tons) commercial van to Mitsubishi Fuso which will sell it as ‘Canter Van’ in the Middle East towards the end of 2014.

]]>http://www.hybridcars.com/renault-nissan-and-daimler-inching-closer-together/feed/0Smart To Reveal Fourjoy Concept At Frankfurthttp://www.hybridcars.com/smart-to-reveal-fourjoy-concept-at-frankfurt/
http://www.hybridcars.com/smart-to-reveal-fourjoy-concept-at-frankfurt/#commentsThu, 05 Sep 2013 14:35:01 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=66273At next week’s Frankfurt auto show, Smart will unveil its Fourjoy concept and a closer look at the third-generation Fortwo. The latest concept following the For-us and Forstars, the Fourjoy is the Daimler-owned company’s clue on styling for the under-development Forttwo and Fourfour to be produced next year for 2015. Its doors and roof are […]

]]>At next week’s Frankfurt auto show, Smart will unveil its Fourjoy concept and a closer look at the third-generation Fortwo.

The latest concept following the For-us and Forstars, the Fourjoy is the Daimler-owned company’s clue on styling for the under-development Forttwo and Fourfour to be produced next year for 2015.

Its doors and roof are removed for better viewing, and notably, the car has grown significantly larger having broken out of the tiny mold of earlier Smart cars.

The fourjoy is 11.4-feet long, 6.5-feet wide, and 4.9-feet tall. Still a “city car,” its turning circle is less than 30 feet.

Power comes via a 55-kw (74 horsepower) electric motor and energy is supplied by a 17.6-kwh li-ion battery. Recharge time is stated as around seven hours on house current or er one hour using a higher current charger along with a 22-kw on-board charger and rapid state charging cable.

No claims are made for the range of this new system.

Architecture will be shared with Nissan-Renault’s next Twingo, and the platform also is a joint venture project. Said platform offers flexibility to design a number of variants including a CUV.

Carried over in the concept are square lights, lightweight construction and a Spartan interior as these were well regarded in previous concept cars.

The Fourjoy also retains the trademark Tridon cell. Where alloy is shown in the concept, high-strength steel will be used in production.

Smart says the Fortwo and Fourfour however will be positioned above prior generations, and competition for the likes of MINI.

The interior is a pure design exercise, and includes “organically” inspired seats in the front and back. Controls will be via touch screen, and styling is generally more Jestonesque than the production Fortwo can expect. .